Central Virginia Regional Section Introduction As a supplement to the Virginia State Tourism Plan, this section is dedicated to the Central Virginia region. It is strongly suggested that the Virginia State Tourism Plan be read in conjunction with this regional section. The key elements of this regional section include the following: A situational analysis of tourism in the region, which highlights the key tourism products, regional strengths and challenges, competitive considerations, and other relevant information, is presented to set the framework for the regional strategy. Key product themes of focus are identified and applicable objectives and strategies are presented for the five plan outcomes of Products, Pillars (infrastructure), Partnerships, Promotions, and Policies for the Central Virginia tourism strategy. Action steps specific to the region, which are above and beyond the actions of the state level plan are outlined. Stakeholders proposed to be involved in implementing the plan are also identified. Key takeaways for Central Virginia's tourism development in the next five years are outlined. Process for Findings Numerous factors formed the basis of the Central Virginia tourism strategy, including the tourism industry’s own vision for the region, an inventory and analysis of the tourism assets currently offered, input and analysis of visitor information, and an analysis of the competitive environment. These four key areas are further described below: Industry Vision: The industry vision served as the foundation for the region’s strategy, based on input from approximately 1,300 responses statewide, including stakeholders from Central Virginia through workshops, surveys, and discussions. The desire among Central Virginia stakeholders is to build upon the historical and heritage assets in an authentic manner and to further develop outdoor recreation, culinary, cultural, and other assets to increase tourism. Tourism Assets: Central Virginia’s tourism assets were analyzed by the study team. This included the current mix of tourism products such as attractions, visitor activities, hotel inventory, natural assets and topography, industry base, and socio-cultural character. The strengths and challenges of the region’s current characteristics such as infrastructure, road/air accessibility, partnerships, policies, and promotions were also 1 discussed with numerous key stakeholders and assessed. In addition to the study team’s personal experience of Central Virginia, other input contributed to an understanding of the existing tourism assets, including input from tourism stakeholders, VTC databases, local tourism marketing information/promotional information from organizations such as Virginia's Retreat, DMOs, and chambers of commerce, existing tourism plans for Campbell County and the Town of Altavista, the City of Franklin and Southampton County, Lynchburg, Petersburg, and Richmond, tourism industry associations, tourism industry resources, PwC resources, and others. Consumer Perspective: Research was analyzed on a global, national, state, and regional level. This research included visitor trends, activities, perceptions/preferences, performance indications, and emerging elements. Macro trends impacting tourism such as population and demographic trends, GDP/GSP, unemployment rates, consumer prices, personal consumption spending, gas prices, and other factors impacting tourism in a broad sense were also analyzed. Sources of research related to Virginia and Central Virginia compiled by the VTC were analyzed, which included profiles of past visitors (by traveler type, geography, season, and activity), traveler attitude studies, and other data. Profiles of past visitors (statewide) showed activities engaged in which are offered in Central Virginia, seasonality, party size, spending, demographics, income levels, travel distance and patterns, duration of trip, travel party origin, and other relevant information. Attitude studies of past and prospective travelers provided additional insight for Central Virginia in terms of appeal, perceptions of tourism products, activities, and destination attributes as well as other relevant hub and spoke travel behavior and activities engaged in by past and prospective visitors to Virginia. Visitor data was also analyzed against existing tourism assets. Visitor insights show that Central Virginia was rated highly by most past and prospective travelers for its food and dining, its accommodations, and being good for families. It was also rated as appealing among Generation X travelers and families. Furthermore, most describe Central Virginia as historic. While many also recognized Central Virginia as scenic, outdoor recreation activities such as camping, hiking/exploring nature, and viewing wildlife/birds were not as prominent in visitors' minds. In addition, the majority of visitors to Virginia are likely to visit a historical site on a future vacation. Additional state/regional sources included data on visitor spending patterns based on economic impact data in the region, state parks attendance, welcome center statistics, Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, the Economic Impact of Wine and Grapes on the State of Virginia, the Virginia Surface Transportation Plan 2035, and other sources. Examples of national and international sources include data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization, U.S. Travel Association, Office of Travel & Tourism Industries (OTTI), MMGY Global, Outdoor Industry Association, U.S. Culture and Heritage Travel Council, National Trust for Historic Preservation, World Food Travel Association, National Parks Service, Smith Travel Research (STR), America's Byways, Woods & Poole, other U.S. government sources, travel industry publications and articles, and other relevant sources. 2 Competitive Perspective: To understand the offering and competitive positioning of Virginia and the Central Virginia region, research and analysis was conducted which evaluated destinations, product offerings, market segments, and key strengths of competition on a regional basis and analysis of products, tourism spending, product rankings, and best practices and trends in tourism product areas on a statewide/national basis. For Central Virginia, urban, rural, and historical areas of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania were analyzed. More specifically, areas of those states were analyzed for key product strengths, and included the areas of Asheville, Charleston, and Philadelphia and its countryside. Destination similarities are seen in North Carolina’s wine industry, rising culinary scene, and rural experiences. Asheville, for example, has been recognized for its dining experiences, known as the first Foodtopian Society with many local farm-to-table restaurants, high profile chefs and restaurants, and craft breweries. Asheville’s surrounding area in northwestern North Carolina also boasts outdoor recreation, including rafting, zip lines, fishing, camping, etc. Charleston also offers historic character and attractions along with its outdoor recreation opportunities. Philadelphia has strong historical and cultural draw, while its surrounding countryside areas offer a concentration of wineries and outdoor recreation opportunities. Central Virginia with its own rich history, culinary, culture, and nature experiences is well-positioned to compete. Sources of this competitive information included, but were not limited to, review of tourism marketing websites/promotional information, tourism marketing and strategic plans, tourism organization annual reports, tourism industry publications and articles, rankings, available consumer-oriented research (statewide) which addresses competition, and tourism companies (outfitters, tour guides, etc.). 3 Tourism Situation The Central Virginia region is the largest of Virginia's tourism regions in terms of geographic area. Although it is set in the center of the state, a portion of the region (Southampton County) also borders North Carolina. It is situated within the piedmont area and encompasses a diverse offering of tourism assets, including vibrant towns and cities, history, outdoor recreation, wineries, arts, music, sports, and group business facilities. The region has over 1.7 million residents. The most populous cities include Richmond (204,000), Lynchburg (75,500), and Charlottesville (43,500). It is strategically located at the crossroads of Interstate 95 connecting Maryland and North Carolina, Interstate 64 connecting the Hampton Roads and Shenandoah regions, and Interstate 85 connecting the Petersburg area to North Carolina. In addition, Route 29 and Route 460 go through the middle of Central Virginia. The region also benefits from accessibility from three commercial airports, including Richmond International. However, congestion is recognized as a challenge in connecting to the D.C. area, which diminishes the potential for cross-visitation among destinations and Regional Facts: may be a potential limiting factor for future tourism growth in the region. A portion of Interstate 95 connecting to Southern Virginia has also been proposed as a future Region Population: 1.7 million toll road, which may impact tourism related to travelers on this route. Largest Town/city: 204,000 Border States: NC Central Virginia is an established tourism region, and more rural areas are continuing Interstates: I-64, I-85, I-95 to emerge. The region accounted for nearly $3.4 billion in travel and tourism Route 29, Route 460 expenditures in